Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 1

790.5/5–1353

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)

top secret

[Washington,] May 13, 1953.

Subject:

• Five Power Military Meeting at Honolulu

The Problem

Attached for approval and signature is a proposed reply to a letter of May 11 from the Assistant Secretary of Defense to the Under Secretary of State¹ regarding the recommendations of the Conference of Military Representatives which was held in Honolulu from April 6–10, 1953² (the US, UK, France, Australia and New Zealand were represented). Specifically, State has been asked to approve a proposed draft message³ to CINCPAC on future procedure.

Discussion

The documents attached to Defense’s letter are very concise. The proposed draft message to CINCPAC contains the essential elements of what is proposed. A summary is as follows:

a) Designation by the five powers of military representatives responsible for mutual coordination of plans, to include the full exchange of pertinent current intelligence, agreed communication procedures and the exchange of other planning information essential to more effective cooperation.

b) Planning studies are to be undertaken by the Five Power Military Representatives to determine possible courses of action to counter further Chinese aggression in Southeast Asia.

c) The Military Representatives will communicate on an on-call need-to-know basis; no formal body or committee will be established.

d) It is specifically provided in the instruction to CINCPAC that “in order to maintain an appropriate degree of freedom of action, foreigners will not participate directly in the development of US plans, and your participation in planning studies to determine possible courses of action will not extend to the development of a combined plan.”

It is interesting to note that the Honolulu report establishes a number of priorities for the proposed planning studies (see page 3 of the report).⁴ The Joint Chiefs of Staff approved all of the recommendations of the Honolulu Conference except one to the effect that NATO procedures and publications should be made effective and available in the area. The Joint Chiefs reserved their position on this point.

So far as the attitude of the other governments are concerned, the British Chiefs of Staff have approved the report adding the suggestion that planning priorities should be made flexible to meet developing situations (thus the threat to Thailand is now greater than it was and plans to meet it should be given a higher priority than heretofore). The British have named General Keightley⁵ as their military representative. The Embassy of New Zealand has informed the Department that the New Zealand Government has approved. We do not yet know the point of view of France and Australia.

Recommendation

It is recommended that you sign the attached letter to the Assistant Secretary of Defense giving the Department of State’s approval to the proposed draft message to CINCPAC on future procedure.⁶

1. Reference is to a letter signed on behalf of Nash by Halaby. (790.5/5–1153)
2. For a report of this Conference, see p. 303.
3. This draft is attached to Halaby’s letter.
4. Reference is to paragraph III.B.2.
5. Gen. Sir Charles Keightley, Commander in Chief of British ground forces in the Far East.
6. Matthews signed this letter, which is not printed. It was sent to Nash on May 15. (790.5/5–1153) The instruction was sent by the Joint Chiefs to CINCPAC in telegram JCS 939436, May 21. (JCS records, CCS 092 Asia (6–25–48))